Vertebral body replacement implant

Abstract

In a vertebral body replacement implant having a bottom locating part for positioning against a lower vertebral body and having a top locating part for positioning against an upper vertebral body, wherein both locating parts are steplessly displaceable relative to one another along a displacement path so that the height of the vertebral body replacement implant is variable, having a clamping device for fixing the two locating parts in any desired intermediate position along the displacement path, which clamping device comprises a clamping element that is mounted on one locating part so as to be variable in position and can be pressed towards a clamping face on the other locating part, in order to improve the clamping action it is proposed that the clamping face is inclined slightly relative to the displacement path, so that when the locating parts are pushed together the clamping face moves progressively closer to the clamping element.

Description

[0001]The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German patent application 10 2008 006 492.0 of Jan. 29, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to a vertebral body replacement implant having a bottom locating part for positioning against a lower vertebral body and having a top locating part for positioning against an upper vertebral body, wherein both locating parts are steplessly displaceable relative to one another along a displacement path so that the height of the vertebral body replacement implant is variable, having a clamping device for fixing the two locating parts in any desired intermediate position along the displacement path, which clamping device comprises a clamping element that is mounted on one locating part so as to be variable in position and can be pressed towards a clamping face on the other locating part.[0003]Such a vertebral body replacem...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention relates to a vertebral body replacement implant with a clamping mechanism. The technical effect of the invention is that the clamping action is intensified when the locating parts are pushed together, preventing unintended pressing of the parts. This is achieved by inclining the clamping face of the clamping element relative to the displacement path, so that the clamping element presses only at the edge of the locating face against the clamping face. The clamping element can be guided displaceably in one locating part and an adjusting screw can be used to move the clamping element. The invention also provides a hydraulic conduit for introducing a hydraulic medium into the implant to push the parts apart. The clamping face of the other locating part can be formed by the base of a lateral recess in a side wall of the other locating part. The two parts can be telescopically disposed relative to each other.

Problems solved by technology

Even if the clamping action of the clamping element during the initial fixing of the two locating parts were to prove inadequate or diminish in the course of time, this would lead only to the locating parts moving very slightly closer to one another because, owing to the inclination of the clamping face, this pushing-together would inevitably generate an increase of the clamping force, i.e. the inadequate clamping force that leads to an undesired movement of the two locating parts closer to one another is immediately compensated by this very movement, with the result that the two locating parts in this situation too may move only minimally towards one another.

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